Question 1 The public procurement Act has undergone reforms since 1960 when government enacted the Supply Commission Act which was reviewed later in 1990 by PNDC law 245. Ghana National Procurement Agency Decree SMCD 55 was passed by the Supreme Military Council and in 1979, another law, the Financial Administrative Decree SMCD 221 was also passed. All these laws, decrees and instruments were meant to provide a comprehensive framework of administrative powers to regulate the activities of procurement within the public sector but it appears that, that has not been achieved. Using practical examples, discuss five (5) weaknesses of these procurement regimes

Question 2 Value for money (VFM) forms a key procurement principle, and is derived from the optimal balance of benefits and costs on the basis of total cost of ownership (TCO). The nature of public procurement is such that it involves discretionary decision-taking on behalf of government at all levels. Value for money is therefore not a choice of goods or services which is based on the lowest bid price but a choice based on the whole life costs of the project or service. a. What is your understanding of the aforementioned statement?

b.Explain competitiveness and transparency and their impotence to public procurement.

Question 3 Act 663 Part 1, Section 3 spells out the functions of the Public Procurement Authority (PPA). Among the functions of Public Procurement Board are functions 3m, 3q and 3r, which are quoted respectively as follows: a. Section 3m: organize and participate in the administrative review procedures in Part VII of this Act

b. Section 3q: investigate and debar from procurement practice under this Act, suppliers, contractors and consultants who have seriously neglected their obligations under a public procurement contract, have provided false information about their qualifications or offered inducements of the kind referred to in Section 32 of this Act.

Using practical examples explain the supplier debarment process and discuss the complaint review mechanisms. Question 4 The choice of procurement method is guided by two important elements in Ghana including thresholds and circumstances. a. In each case, explain the influence of these two elements on the choice of a procurement entity.

b. As a procurement officer, you have been tasked to prepare a procurement plan for your organization for the next fiscal year. Outline four key items your plan should contain.

c. Identify and explain five basic rules that govern public procurement in Ghana